This club is a GP-free zone

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.d3 d6

Support the campaign for d2-d4

by playing 4. c3, 4. b4 or 3. d4!

"Giuoco Pianissimo" is an old Italian phrase
meaning "very quiet game"; if you can't remember that you might
prefer if we just call this line "Old Stodge"...

It's probably one of the most common ways for games to
start, and I think it's one of the worst. What's the problem?

"A knowledge of tactics is the
foundation of positional play. This is a rule which has stood its
test in chess history and one which we cannot impress forcibly
enough upon the young chess player.
"A beginner should avoid the Queen's Gambit and French Defence
and play open games instead! While he may not win as many games at
first, he will in the long run be amply compensated by acquiring a
thorough knowledge of the game."

- RICHARD RETI, Masters of the Chessboard

Beginners (and others) should play open games:

open games are more lively and more fun
because of all the tactics

open games are easier to get ideas in because
of all the tactics

open games are better for learning about the
game because of all the tactics

Open games, with open lines, require the exchange (or sacrifice) of
Pawns. White can play for d2-d4 (the easiest and best break) in a
variety of ways and this is generally the best plan in the King
Pawn openings.

Whatever is happening in Old Stodge, it is most unlikely
that lines are going to be opened very soon. Both sides clamp down
on the opponent's Queen's Pawn, preventing the opening of the game.
The whole position gets bogged down in sticky toffee and both
players are often bored and confused by the positions that come
about.

It's enough to put you off chess! The position is
blocked, the sides are equal and it's hard to get things going. It
can take a long time to beat worse players because things are so
solid. Also, it may be that almost every game you play ends up
something like this, and perhaps you would like some variety.

In fact, probably the best plan in the standard Old Stodge
position is to aim for d3-d4 after a sequence like:1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. Bg5!
h6! 7. Bxf6! Qxf6 8. Nd5 Qd8 9. c3! [see the document on
The Italian game] So, if you
are going to play d3-d4 eventually, why not go for a more open game
from the start?
This document is about, is describing how to try and get an open
game, with Pawn exchanges, with either colour.

Securing an open game as White

Play the main line Giuoco Piano

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 play
4. c2-c3 and open up the game or take over the
centre with 5. d2-d4. This is an easy way to get
an open game with White.

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 play simply 3.
d2-d4. After 3...exd4 you can play a nice
open game with 4. Nxd4, or you can play one or two
interesting gambits with 4. Bc4 [Scotch Gambit] or
4. c2-c3 [Goring Gambit]. This is perhaps the
easiest way to get an open game as White.

After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 play
2...Nf6!. The main lines with 3. Nxe5 d6!
4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 and 3. d4
d5! are both much more open than the Old Stodge.

There is a slight problem if White is frightened into
3. Nc3 because of course we are half-way towards
Old Stodge again. Black won't mind if after the obvious
3...Nc6 White opens the game with 4.
d4. We have already seen that 4. Bc4
fails to the trick 4...Nxe4!, so the only other
try is 4. Bb5, which of course makes it difficult
for Black to play ...d5 because of the e-Pawn, and theory suggests
that the lively 4...Bc5?! is not very good for the same
reason. One safe move for Black is 4...Bb4, but to
me that looks like another version of Old Stodge, so you might like
to try 4...Nd4!?. According to theory there is no
way for White to punish Black for this unusual move, and it may be
a way of mixing things up a little. If all this seems a bit much
the simple 3.Nc3 Bb4!? is probably OK.

After 1. e4 play 1...d5!.
This used to be described as "sucking all the life out of the
position", and it's absolutely true that I can't bear playing games
with 2. exd5 Qxd5 - White can gain a move by kicking the
Queen about with 3. Nc3 Qa5 but Black tends to play a
solid set-up with ...c6 and ...e6, which can be tough to break
down.

But recently Black players have had a few new ideas in
the line with 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6!

One idea is to play the "Icelandic Gambit" with
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6! 3. c4 e6! The idea is that
if White grabs a Pawn with 4. dxe6 Bxe6, White
will have a difficult game because of the backward d-Pawn (5.
Nf3 c5!), unless White plays 5. d4 Bb4+ e.g. 6. Bd2
Qe7 7. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Nc3 O-O-O, when Black has
raced to nearly complete development, while White has yet to get
anywhere near castling. [This is pretty fashionable at club level
at the moment.]

Another idea, if White is not so greedy, is to play the
Jadoul Variation with 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6! 3. d4
Bg4! which can be another gambit with 4. f3 Bf5 5.
c4 e6 or a better version of the 2...Qxd5 line after
4. Nf3 Qxd5 5. Nc3 Qf5 (or 5. Be2 Nc6 6. c4
Qd7) because the Black Queen doesn't get in the way of
developing the light-squared Bishop.

If your opponent is really determined to be stodgy, 1.
e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6! 3. d4 Bg4! 4. Be2 Bxe2 5. Qxe2 Qxd5 6.Nf3
is quiet enough, although you may be able to castle Queen's-side,
and then throw your King's-side Pawns up to open lines against
their King.

White can avoid these lines with 1. e4 d5 2. exd5
Nf6! 3. Bb5+, or after 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6! 3. c4
e6 playing 4. d4, but in both cases we
have a more open game than Old Stodge.

[More? There are lots of new books recommending the
Scandinavian these days, including the patchy Keene/Levy An
Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player, and the more
sound John Emms' The
Scandinavian]